Anti-NATO Convergence Centre in Bucharest attacked by anti-terror police

from various sources, 3 April 2008:

At approximately 12:30pm today [2 April 2008], hundreds of police descended on the convergence center of the anti-NATO gathering in Bucharest. At this point, some organizers on the scene estimate that 46 arrests in all have been made. All the arrests were made inside the convergence center. There was no demonstration happening. Many of the police were wearing ski masks, and were very hostile to journalists trying to access the scene.

The convergence center was located near the center of Bucharest, which is hosting a NATO summit that just got underway today. It was located in an industrial space which the anti-NATO demonstrators had legally rented. According to the police, there were accusations that some protesters used aggression against one of the guards near the site.

By 3:15pm, 3 large paddy wagons had already left the site, carrying demonstrators inside. Some other protesters and media were gathered on the other side of the street, chanting to release the demonstrators.

A police spokesperson gave a few statements to the media in Romanian. (I don't speak Romanian, but the following info was loosely translated for me by a Romanian speaker) According to the spokesperson, the police found anti-NATO banners and some paint inside the convergence center. There was nothing illegal.

He stated that the protesters were not terrorists, and that they had been taken to the police station to have their identities verified. Among the group of people arrested were local activists as well as foreigners. The spokesperson also stated that this police intervention is not against the national constitution of Romania, and that liberty of expression is guaranteed.

At this point (5:10pm Bucharest time), all the protesters are still being detained. One organizer has stated that a few were badly beaten.

It should be noted that these arrests were made before any organized actions against the NATO summit had taken place, and also in a context where the authorities have stated they would not tolerate any opposition to NATO during the summit.

The local corporate media has also been in a frenzy about "dangerous anarchists" who are going to descend on the city and break store windows. One TV news report on Realitatea TV yesterday morning encouraged viewers to throw rocks at any demonstrators that they see on the streets.

Hopefully we can have a more complete report soon. Keep checking http://www.contra-doxa.com/ or http://romania.indymedia.org/ for more info.

[original article]

For further inquiries you turn to RomaniaRepression@riseup.net

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Romanian Protection and Guard Service (SPP) to signal stray dogs on the NATO Summit VIP lane

from Eurasian Secret Services Daily Review, 3 April 2008: Romanian Protection and Guard Service (SPP) officials have requested the country’s Animal Monitoring Administration to pick up some stray dogs wandering on the VIP lane reserved for official NATO Summit delegations in downtown Bucharest, news agency HotNews reports. Measures were taken after several stray dogs were seen early in the morning on the VIP lane and several other important locations.

Animal Monitoring Administration Director Simona Panaitescu declared that several intervention teams are prepared to pick up any lost stray dog on the street, according to HotNews. Local officials announced as early as March 25 that all stray dogs were picked up from the streets.

[original article]

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Mainstream media report about riot/police press conference

03.04.2008

From Mediafax
German, Romanian, Czech Nationals Among Anti-NATO Protesters Detained In Bucharest

The anti-NATO protesters detained for questioning in Bucharest on Wednesday were nationals of Germany, Romania, Moldova, Portugal, Spain and Poland, Bucharest police chief Marian Tutilescu said in a press conference. He said the bulk of the 54 protesters were Romanian and German nationals – 26 and 22 citizens, respectively.

The 17 women in the group were allowed to leave shortly after they were brought in for questioning at a police precinct in Bucharest, Tutilescu mentioned.

Several gendarmerie squads moved in a local plant on Wednesday afternoon and evacuated some 54 anti-NATO protesters who leased a production hall for the NATO summit, after several officers reported an incident between protesters and two officials with the plant.

The protesters were taken to several police precincts for questioning.

Save the assailants of the plant’s general manager and of a security guard, all the protesters will be released once the identification procedure is over, Tutilescu said.

“The other persons will be released immediately, with no other contraventions considered or any of their materials being confiscated, provided they have no nationalist or illegal characteristics,” Tutilescu said.

The chief of police said the intervention at the plant was conducted exclusively by gendarmes and that he cannot give any details about the actual operation.

Asked about one of the women in the group who was taken to a hospital, Tutilescu said the woman has twisted her ankle while getting in a gendarmerie car.

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Solidarity protest in Berlin

About 45 people have spontaneously protested in Berlin against the treatment of anti-NATO protesters in Bucharest. They were carrying banners saying: "No NATO - No Border" and that Romania would outlaw freedom of opinion during the summit.

The same comment on Indymedia Germany also states that it seems that all arrested would have been released by now

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Latest news about the treatment of the detainees

03.04.2008:
Approximately 60 people gathered at police station no. 11 for a spontaneous protest against the abusive actions of the police forces.

Afterwards, they moved on to station no. 12, where an anti-NATO activist had been seriously injured by police and was refused medical assistance. As long as the cameras of photo-journalists provide some protection, people are able to protest on the spot.

But as soon as the journalists leave, citizens are facing the danger of being arrested and taken inside. as a result of public pressure, the wounded protester received medical attention.

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UPDATE: the unseen face of mass media

According to the statements made by activists who were present at the Timpuri Noi location, many of them were beaten by the police.

As soon as the gendarmes entered the space, they started kicking and hitting people left and right. To the press: that's why the clothes of many of the activists were very dirty.

One of the participants was assaulted quite badly and he was in need of medical care. But the police thought it more appropriate that he be held at the police station and he was released only 5 minutes before the press arrived, so as to raise no suspicions since the journalists had found out that there was someone who was badly hurt.

Another girl has said that she received two kicks to the head (just hard enough that there wouldn't be any traces).
Another thing: when several supporters of those arrested came to stand outside of the original location, and after all the journalists had left, an order came that those people be arrested as well.

imc romania
[original article]

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Bucarest /anti-OTAN (en français)

Here is a resume in french of different informations about the anti-NATO counter-summit. You can spread it all around, waiting for other news:
http://toulouse.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=19218

Voici un résumé des diverses informations en provenance du contre-sommet de l'OTAN à Bucarest. Diffusez-les autour de vous, en attendant d'autres infos:
http://toulouse.indymedia.org/article.php3?id_article=19218

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from Eurasian Secret Services Daily Review, 31 March 2008:

Romanian intelligence services identified organization responsible for anti-NATO Summit activities

Romanian intelligence services have already identified the first organization that organizes anti-NATO Summit acticities, daily Gardianul reports. Sources from the intelligence services told the Gardianul that dozens of persons suspected of intending to sabotage the event were thoroughly monitored.

According to the daily, the respective sources, say that the core of an anarchist organization was identified at Iasi, where the anti-NATO militants met under the direct coordination of a non-governmental organization. The identified nucleus of the group is an association from Iasi called Centre for Art, Media and Social Action whose militants intend to go the next days to Bucharest.

Last weekend a general rehearsal was carried out with the participation of over 12,000 police officers and gendarmes, applying all the restrictions that will go into effect on April 1. The general simulation was carried out without major incidents, but it lasted only half of the set time, because of the perturbation of the traffic in North Bucharest. The rehearsal was also attended by NATO security officials.

All the actions were monitored from a unique command point, consisting of SPP, SRI, SIE, MIRA, MoD officers. The exercise concentrated all the types of activities to be run by the security forces stipulated for the four days of the Summit, reads a press release of the Media Group for Security News.

From shutting down streets and boulevards and aligning snipers to catching stray dogs, the security level in Bucharest was highly improved for the NATO summit these days, according to The Washington Post. - The real focus of the event's organizers has been ensuring the security of Romania's important guests, and that has been realized on a massive scale, - the paper notes.

Gandul focuses on the 30,000 intelligence officers from everywhere in the world who arrived in Bucharest in order to ensure the security during the summit. "Eyes in the skies", underground monitoring and ground checks take place everywhere. Curios old men are advised to stay away from their windows and balconies, for fear one of the snipers around may have a too eager finger on the trigger, the paper points out.

[original article]

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For further information:
http://romania.indymedia.org/en/

Also:
http://balkans.puscii.nl

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